Texas Tech El Paso campus gets $10M gift from local philanthropist, renames graduate school

Julia Lucero, El Paso Times
·2 min read

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso renamed its Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences building after a local philanthropist gifted the university $10 million.

L. Frederick Francis and his wife, Ginger Francis, endowed the gift to the university's graduate school. In honor of the gift, the graduate school was renamed "L. Frederick Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences," a news release read.

“It is our hope that this gift is another step in creating that educational, research-based university where our best and brightest can learn to improve the lives of people here and around the world,” Frederick Francis said in the news release.

Rick Francis and wife Ginger Francis walk through campus before the unveiling of the newly named Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, before a special meeting of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents in El Paso, Texas, Thursday, February 24, 2022. Rick and Ginger Francis gifted a $10 million endowment to the Graduate School of Biomedical Service’s Center at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

The announcement was made before the TTU System board of Regents meeting Thursday. Scott Lacefield, executive director of media relations for the Office of the Chancellor, said this was the 13th time the TTU Board of Regents had a meeting outside of the main Lubbock campus since 1999. This was their fifth meeting in El Paso.

"Hosting board meetings outside of Lubbock provides a great opportunity for regents, system administrators and university leaders to see firsthand the excellence and value our students, faculty and staff bring to the communities in which we are located,” Lacefield said.

Guests listen to speakers before the unveiling of the newly named Francis Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, before a special meeting of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents in El Paso, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Rick and Ginger Francis gifted a $10 million endowment to the Graduate School of Biomedical Service’s Center at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

TTUHSC El Paso is the only institution in the Texas Tech University System in which each of its schools has received a significant donation, the news release read.

Rick Francis is an El Paso native, executive chairman of WestStar, chair of the TTHUSC El Paso Presidents Development Council and served on the TTU System Board of Regents from 2003 to 2019. Ginger Francis is a board member of the J. Edward and Helen M.C Stern Foundation and was previously president of the Junior League of El Paso and board president of the El Paso Museum of Art.

Students talk before a special meeting of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents in El Paso, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Rick and Ginger Francis gifted a $10 million endowment to the Graduate School of Biomedical Service’s Center at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Students talk before a special meeting of the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents in El Paso, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022. Rick and Ginger Francis gifted a $10 million endowment to the Graduate School of Biomedical Service’s Center at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

"One look at our campus today is a reflection of their love for El Paso and belief that our health sciences center could make a difference in our own community and beyond county lines," Dr. Lange Dean of Foster School of Medicine said in the news release. "Thanks to their vision, we’re taking major steps to reverse the health care shortages affecting this region, and influencing our community to take power into their own hands to transform health care and higher education for future generations of El Pasoans."

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso's Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center gets big donation